Life after UP: Going to Work By Cassie Coco and Charlotte Pritchett

Agenda for Today  Introduction  Finding a job  Making the most of benefits  Review the effect of earned income on benefits  The services of the UP program vocational component

Finding a Job  Your participant will have job experiences to help when leaving the UP Program  If they lose that job they will need resources for getting another one  Following are some of these: Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) Ticket to Work

Vocational Rehabilitation Services Provides services for people with disabilities to assist in finding employment, including :  Technology assessments, equipment and software to assist with work  Vocational assessments  Financial support for training  Job sampling

VR continued  Help finding a job  Training for a specific job  Supported employment/job coach  Long term follow up  Paid, 4 month internships * VR c ontact information found on the Resource People and Agencies sheet

Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN)  Offers assistance to employment service providers and job seekers  Provides job leads from employers wanting to hire people with disabilities  Toll free # EARN-now ( ) 

Ticket to Work  For SSI recipients ages 18 to 64  The Ticket to Work can be used to find a job through VR or any other Employment Network (EN): job referrals skills and job training employment support/job coaching No reevaluation of SSI eligibility

Ticket to Work Cont.  You should have been sent a Ticket to Work when you qualified for SSI or when you turned 18.  You may request another one  Contact: Ticket Call Center: or

Making the Most of Your Income and Benefits  Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS)  Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)  Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) of benefits

PASS Program  A work incentive plan that allows person receiving SSI to set aside otherwise countable income for a specified period of time  The money can be set aside to achieve a goal: For school, tools, transportation, uniforms, computer, etc. to help you get a job * Must develop a written plan to submit  Contact:

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)  Cost of items may be deducted from your earned income for SSI payment purposes  Items or services that allow you to work: transportation, job coach, wheelchairs ramps, prosthesis, routine medications and services, service animal.  Cost of services must be reasonable  No other agency or benefit can pay expenses.htm expenses.htm

Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR)  How do you get your benefits back fast if you have lost them because of excess income?  Eligible for SSI if you lose your job within 5 years  No new application needed  EXR allows payments for 6 months while medical review takes place  You must still have your original impairment or something related *

Earned Income = General Income exclusion Earned Income Exclusion Countable Earned Income = Divide by 2 = Total Countable Income Federal 2012 SSI rate = Total Countable Income Adjusted SSI Payment = $ (SSI) (Earned Income) Total Gross Income =$1, Review of Calculating Countable and Total Gross Income Example

Services of the UP Program Vocational Component  Career Development Course  Networking in the Community  Networking with VR  Networking with Parents  Benefits Analysis courtesy of WORKworld software?

Resources  WIPA coordinators: Provide work incentives planning and assistance Help families and beneficiaries determine eligibility for federal and state work incentives programs Refer to State VR agencies or Employment Networks Provide information about health benefits once working Contact:

Resources  2011 Red Book and 2012 updates: A Summary Guide to Employment Supports for Persons with Disabilities under the Social Security Income Programs 